Mining machine



T. E. PRAY June 24, 1930.

MINING MACHINE Filed Deo. 5l, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l v R l mm Amd T. E. lPRAY MINING MACHINE June 24, 1930.

Filed Deo. 51,

1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930.

T. E. PRAY 1,765,446

'/IINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31, 192e 3 sheets-,sheet 5 Patented June-24,v 1930 UNIT-Eo sier-ss ve eine THOMAS E. PRAY, erschienen,Immo-Is,fassienon To Goonivreu reannnaorunms* compania, orientando; Immers, a conrona'rron or anuncis.v l Y .'IlIININGrl MACHINE' Application led December 31, i926. Serial No. 15234.

This invention relates to improvements in lierf cutting mining machinesand more particularly to machines oi' the type mounted permanently upon a wheeled support;

5 The principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the classy described in which a pivotally movable cutter bar may be carried in variouspositions to cut kerfs in planes varyingl from lthe horizontal The invention may be best. understood by" reference. to the accom'panyingj` drawingsl which illustrate one embodimentlof my invention. 'i f In these drawings: y

Figure 1 is a sideview of a machine. con-I structed in accordance with my invention, with parts brokenaway and shown in longitudinal cross-section;

Fy'gure 21s a plan vView of the machine shown in Figure l.; f

Figure 2 is a View similar toFigure 2 but; drawn to a smaller scale andshoiving the cut`-r ternarm in certain permissible positions thereot; and s, F gure 4; is a front view-v ot the machine shown in Figure l illustrating` the manner in which the `machine may be adjusted to cut the leert either in a. horizontal-or in a, ijferticall plane.

' Y Referring now to details ofthedrav/ings,

the machine includes airhase frame l mounted onvaxles 2, 2|, having supporting Wheels 3, V5%'. rk turntable 5 provided with, a central bearing 6 is mounted for rotatable movement on said base frame and is providedWitli-a plu rality of upright` standards fl, 4 thereon, vAs herein shown these standards are mounted in v,airs spaced on opposite sidesofthe turntable betweenv which is supported a sub-frame 7 carryingthe cutting element of themachine.

AsV sl'iown hereimthe vsub-frame is verticallyV adjustable Withrespect to the upriglits 4, l. This adjustment is .provided by'means of a plurality ol'k pinions 8, 8, carried onsha'fts 56, 56, extending' through upright arm'sl?, 9, of sub-frame and, enga-ging lracks l0, 10, on the upright'y supports fl, 4. Act-eating mecha# nism fork said pinions will be hereinafter de# scribed. I V

The cutting element comprises a cutter arm l5 projectingY forwardly ol the machine and when in use being provided with a'cutter chain l5a which mayl bey ofthe usual construction.. The cutter arm is rigidly mounted on the forward end ofa supportingplate 16 which is pivotally movable about an axis adjacent its rear end on the top otfa swinging ramelS. Said supporting plate is mounted about a ringf2811 formed integral with an up'- Wardly projecting' sleeve 28 which extends through and has thrust support'on' the upperend of a main sfupportinoffbearing29 formed iiitegral'with the swinging framel` The swinging trame is provided'with a pair of stud projections 2'()ar and 2l attheyfront and rear ends'thereof,`having bearingsupport in journals 20' and 2l formed in the Yimpor end' of respective arms 721, Ha, of" the sub-iframe 7.'

T his arrangement'o" bearings, (as illustrated`A `frame wherein the complete cuttingmecha-v nism including` the cutterarm, and the svving-- s ing frame with all drivin@` mechanism may be bodily rotated about tue' axis eidte'ndingl longitudinally of the machine. v `A motor 25f1s mounted on ythe swinging `frame 18 preferably near the forward end @0, v ktliereo as shown, and has a driving' pinion 26vengaging the bevel' gear 27 keyed adj acento the loiver end ot the sleeve 28 Which is rotatable` on a vertically disposed sha-'lt 30. lt may be1 observed that the motor 25 is mounted v betvuelm ,the pivotalpoint. 20a` for the swinging' trame 18 and the Vsleeve 28 Which drives the elevatinaand rotatingmechanism for the cuttingmec'hanism and drives the'cut ter chain 15a, that saidnmotor is so placed to conce'ntra'tetlie center' otgravioy of 'the entirek cutting` mechanism' at thepivotal points 2,0,aud 2l?L of the swinging trame 18 and that the distance between the driving end of said motor and thesleeve 28 issuch as to kenable the useof relatively large bevel Vgear for drivsaid' sleeveand obtain amore powerful turning moment than could 'be obtained if saidmotor were mounted on the rearward en d (LIL oiisa'id swingingftrame. Ajdrive sproclret'l,

.8 adjacent the inside of. the larger bevel gear27 and rotating therewith, and is meshed with a bevel gear 3 which is loosely mounted on longitudinal drive shaft Sil. This shaft is j ournaled at one end in ak bearing -formed integral with the main bearing 29, the other end of said shaft extending concentrically through the rear trunnion support, and has a bevel gear 4l() keyed on the outer end thereof.V Driving engagement between the bevel gear 33 and the shaft 34 is provided through a sliding clutch member l1 feathered on said shaft and movable into and .out of engagement with said gear in the usual manner. Y

The sub-frame 7 carrying the entire cutting mechanism is adjustable vertically through shaft 34C and bevel gear 40 by means of the following mechanism Y The bevel gear 40 is meshed with a pair of oppositely disposed bevel gears and 51, loosely mounted ona transverse-shaft 52 eX- tending to the rear of the sub-frame 7, and provided with a reversing clutch mechanism 53 feathered on said shaft'in the usual manner to provide reversible driving connections at will. c ,i

Two oppositely disposed wormV gears 55, 55, are arranged at the'rear corners of the sub-frame 7, one at each end'of shaft 52, and mesh respectively with worm wheels 55a, 55a, mounted on the rear ends of longitudinally extending shafts 56, 56, along opposite sides of said sub-frame 7, to provide a driving connection between shaft 52.and shafts 56, 56. Shafts 56 have pinions 8, 8, keyed thereon which form vertically movable supporting connections with the racks 10, 10, on the upright supports Al, ll, as alieatly'desciibecl. By means of the reversing clutch 53, it will be seen that the entire cutting mechanism and the sub-frame may be adjusted vertically in either direction under power of the motor 25,

so that the cutter arm may be elevated to the desired height to make either a horizontal or shearing cut.

It will be understood that, since the worm, Y gears 55, are adapted to drive in opposite directions at the same time, the shafts 576 will rotate in opposite directions so as to'raise or' lower both sides of the sub-frame v7 simultaneously. Seeligure 2.)v The worm gears 55 are of the self-locking type adapted to maintain the sub-frame 7 Vat any desired height. Y y Y lMeans are also Vprovidedv for pivotally swinging' the cutter varm 15 andit's base plate 16 with respect to the sub-frame and turninsane table in order to feed the cutting mechanism tothe coal. As herein shown, this mechanism comprises a gear 60 keyed on the shaft 34 and meshed with a gear 61 disposed on astub-shaft 62 supported at the rear end of the swinging frame 1S. A bevel pinion 63 is integrally connected with the gear 61 so as tol rotate therewith and engage a pair of oppositely disposed mitre gears 64, 64, having a reversing clutch mechanism 65a therebetween on an upright shaft 65. This shaft extendsV upwardly through and has bearing support in both the upper and lower portions of the swinging frame 18 and-has a gear 66 at the upper end thereof, meshedwith a gear segment 67 formed integral with and at the rear end of the supporting plate 16. vSaid gear segment is concentric with the cutter chain sprocketV axis about which the cutter arm and its supporting plate 16 may pivot. ByV means of the mechanism above described, it will be seen that the cutter arm may be driven in an arc in either direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the machine, to be fed to the coal as illustrated in the various positions indicated in Figure 3.

The complete cutting mechanism may be rotated about the horizontal longitudinal axis in the trunnion bearings formed at the front and rear ends of the sub-frame 7, so-that the cutter arm may be swung about said axis into various planes ranging' from horizontal to vertical, so as to permithorizontal kerfs tcA be cut above or below said axis or "makey shearing cuts at either side thereof. vIn Figure 4 the cutting element is shown in full lines in horizontal vposition above the trunnion bearings soas'to cut a kerf in a horizontal plane, while in dotted lines the cutting element is shown in a vertical position to make a shearing cut with the cutting element at the right side of the axis of said trunnionbearings. Any suitable means that will vafford this adjustment may be provided, asfor `instance, herein a Worm gear segment is keyed on to the outer end of the rear trunnion stud 21a so as to be rotatable with the swinging frameplS and is meshed with a worin 71S mounted on a transverse operating shaft 77, the outer end of which is provided with anv operating wheel. 76.

rl`he cutter arm may also be fed to the coal by pivotal movement of the turntable upon which the entire cutting *mechanism` and motor 25 are supported. As shown herein, the driving means comprises a motor at the rear end of the main frame having driving connection with the turntable through a motor pinion S1, gear 82, shaft 83, worm'84,

wom gm 86511252 S6, seme? and 88, sima 89 and gear 90, the latter lnamed gear being` meshed with a toothed periphery 91 of the turntable. The turntable may thus be kswung in either driection yand in any angle relative to the base frame so as. to cut a kerf iso in any permissible position of the ycutter arm vither. in a lvertical .or horizontal plane. The. machine may also be used for making a.slab. bine;r cutl along a face parallel with the mine f tracks by swinging the turntableso that the cutter arm projects laterally from the main Yframe and is locked in this position while the machine is propelled alongthe traclis parallelto the working face, with the cutter arm maintained in a. horizontal position.

Suitable means tor propelling the truck may be provided as herein shown including a chain 9.5. driven by a sprocket 96. on one end of shaft 83. and. operatively connected thereto `through a sliding clutch'member 95?. Said chain 95. is operatively connected to the outer end of the rear axle through a chain.v sprocket 9.8, in the usual manner.

Although I have shown and described one. form in which my invention may be. embodied, it will be understood that the con.- struction and arrangement of thevarious parts mayf-be altered without departing from the. spirit and scope thereof. Further? more, l do;`not wish to be. construed as limiting.. myself tothe. specific construction illustrated, excepting. as it. maybe specifically limited in theappended claims.

I claim as. mv invention.:

l. In a mining machine. kmounted on a track guided truck, a main frame, a subiframe vertically adjustable. relative to said main frame, a cutting. mechanism rotatable about. the. longitudinal axis. thereof', said cutting` mechanism including a swinging frame pivotalllyy supported aty both. ends` in saidf subrframe, a motor.v carried on. the iiorf ward end of said swinging.. frame, drivingl mechanism disposed. in said. swinging framer engaged by said motor, and a forwardly extending,A cutter arm. operialolyV engaged: from said driving.. mechanism, said cutter arm. being. vpivotal'ly mounted. on said swing ingj iframe on. an, aXis perpendicular. to. said:

, longitudinal anis rearwardly of said motori,

and means operated by said! 'driving mechanism. for moving4 said subfiirame. and.. said. cutting mechanism vertically' between said:- upright supports. f

2. .lin a mining.- machine, the combinationJ of aV frame, having uprightv supports thereon. a. Sub-.frame verbi Gally` adjustable between Seid@ Support-S. e Cutting-f mechanism rotatable about a lansitudnal asis. thereof said. cutting. mechanism including aL swinging iiramepivotally supportedatfront and, rear endg ony said. subfarrie,L a. motor.I dis?, weed. fa be. forward. end of, S21-.id Swinging. frame, driving mechanismy disposed rear- Wldly 0f' and'. @ngagelble With. Said IIlOllOl'. in said' swinging` frame,l a forwardly ex,- tending cutter arm pivotally mounted on said swinging frame.andmperatively con,- nected with driving` mechanism, andl means for moving said sub-'frame and cutting mechanism vertically in said supports including power connections. from said driv. ing mechanism extending transversely at the rearend of said sub-frame operably engag ing drive connections extending .longitudinallyalong eac-h side of said irameand hav ward pivot ori 'saidcuttilng mechanism andl 4. :En a mining machine mounted on a track guided truck, a turntable, a subrframe vertically adjustable relative to said turntable," a cutting? mechanism'. rotatablel about the longitudinal axis thereof and havin-g pivotalj support at both iront and rea-r ends' in said' sub-frame, said cutting mechanism in-. clnding-a iframe, a motor carried at the foi-'- warjdf endA oi""said Vframe, driving mechanism disposed rearwardly Vof andoperably' con-- nected.. 12o-said moto-r, a cutter'a-rm pivota-lly mounted on said frame about an axis rea-rof? the axis oi,t rota-tien ot saidv turn-y tao ex v 5r Im. a mini-ng machine, the combination o .f a mainframe, a subfra-me vertically ad justable-relatiwe tosaid main iframe, cuttingD mechanism. rotatable `about thellongitudinalaxis thereof, sa-i`d{ cutting mechanism includ` ing.; a swinging frame tru'nnion supported at both. iron-t and rear en'dsin saidA sub-frame, a. meten carriedon saidf vswinging frame,

driving-'mechanism disposedl in said'1 swing' ing frameloperably connected to said motor, a cutter` arm prvotally mounted on said. swinging iframe and. operably,engaged from said driving mechanism; means.- ony said cut,-

tingmechanism. for. dma/ung said. cutter. arm arcuately about, an,axisperpendicular to said. lcngitndnalars, means' atthe rear. end.. and. extending longitudinally alongfthe sides ol said; cutting; mechanism adapted toprovide said verticalA adjustment. of said-.sub-.rame relativ-,ceto said;V mainl frame,` said driving mechanismzincluding a single power connec;v vtion. from Saldmotorior actuating either of;

said means.-

. 61 .In .a mining machine, 'y the. combination oi'fa. main. inanima-turntable thereon,- a sub-J frame carried-on saidifturntable, a cutting lll() lbf) tor disposed in ythe forward end of said swinging frame, driving mechanism disposed rearwardly of and engageable with said motor in said swinging frame, and a forwardly extending cutter arm pivotally mounted on 1, said swinging frame and operatively connected with said driving mechanism.

7. In a mining machine, the combination of a base frame having upright supports thereon, a sub-fraine adjustable vertically between said supports, a swinging frame pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on said sub-frame, a cutter arm mounted for pivotal movement on an axis transverse of the longitudinal axis of said swinging frame, a motor carried by said swinging frame having operative connection with said, cutter arm for moving it about its axis, and other power connections concentric with the pivotal connection of said swinging frame and extending therethrough for actuating said elevating adjusting means connecting said subframe with the upright supp-Orts.y

8. In a mining machine, a truck, a turntable mounted on said truck, a sub frame mounted on said turntable and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, a swinging frame supported at its extreme forward and rearward ends on said sub frame for pivotal movement with respect thereto, cutting mechanism supported by said swinging frame and movable therewith including, a motor, a cutter bar extending forwardly from said swinging frame and mounted for pivot-al movement with respect thereto about a point rearward ofy said motor,a cutter chain movable around said cutter bar and' driven by said motor, said means for driving said cutterchain being concentric with the pivotal axis of said cutter. bar, and a` single shaft driven by said motor for vertically adjusting said sub frame with respect to said turntable and moving said cutter arm about its pivotal point.

'9. In a mining machine, a truck, a turntable mounted on said truck, a sub frame mounted on said turntable and vertically adjustable with vrespect thereto, a swinging frame supported at its extreme forward and rearward ends on'said sub frame for vpivotal movement with respectrtliereto, cutting mechanism supported by said swinging fraineand movable therewith including, a motor, a cutter barextending forwardly from said swingingframe and mounted for pivotal movement with respect thereto about a point rearward of said motor, a cutterv Vchain movable around said cutter bar and driven Aby said motor, said means for driving said cutter chain being concentric with the pivotal axis of said cutter bar, a single shaft driven by said motor for vertically adjusting said sub frame with respect to said turntable and moving said cutter arm 'about its pivotal point, and means concentric with said shaft but independent therewith for pivotally moving said swinging frame with respect to said sub frame.

lO. In a mining machine, a truck, a turntable mounted on said truck, a sub frame mounted on said turntable and vertically adjustable with respect thereto,V cutting mechanism rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said sub frame including a swinging frame journaled in said sub frame` at both ends thereof and a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout pivotally mounted on said swinging frame for arcnate movement about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said sub frame at a point intermediate the points of pivotal connection of said swinging frame to said sub frame.V

ll. In a mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a sub frame supported on said turntable for vertical adjustment with respect thereto, cutting-mechanism rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said sub frame including a swinging frame j ournaled in said sub frame at both ends thereof, a motor carried on the forward end of said swinging frame, a cutter arm pivotally mounted on said swinging frame and extending forwardly of said swinging frame, said pivotal axis of said cutter arm being perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said sub frame and rearwardly of said motor, a Vcutter chain movable about said cutter` arm, cutter chain driving means driven by said motor, said cutter chain driving means being concentric with the pivotal axis of said cutter arm and means rearwardly of .the pivotal axis of said cutter arm driven by said motor for moving said cutter arm about its pivotal axis, including a single horizontal shaft on the longitudinal axis of said sub frame said shaft also serving as a driving means for raising and lowering said sub frame with respect to said turntable.

12. In a mining machine, a truck, a turntable Vmounted on vsaid truck, a` sub frame mounted on said turntable and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, cutting mechanism rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said sub frame including a swinging frame journaled in said sub frame at both ends thereof and a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout pivotally mounted on said swinging frame for arcuate movement about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said sub frame at a point Vintermediate the points of pivotal connec- IOS Shaft but independent therefrom for pivotally moving said cradle With respect to said sub frame.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 29th day of December, A. D. 1926.

THOMAS E. PRAY. 

